Stags Leap District · Napa Valley
Visit Shafer Vineyards with a Private Chauffeur
Home of Hillside Select Cabernet in the Stags Leap District, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
John Shafer, a Chicago publishing executive, founded Shafer Vineyards in 1972 on land in the Stags Leap District where grapes had been grown since the 1880s. The first Cabernet Sauvignon was made in 1978.
His son Doug Shafer became winemaker in 1983, and Elias Fernandez joined the next year, becoming winemaker in 1994. The winery was among the first in Napa Valley to run on solar power, from 2004. In 2022 it was sold to Shinsegae Property of South Korea, with Doug Shafer staying on as president.
Shafer is best known for Hillside Select, a Cabernet Sauvignon from its steep estate vineyards, along with One Point Five Cabernet, Relentless and Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay. Tastings are seated and unhurried, for serious Cabernet lovers.
Tasting Fees
$140 for the Collectors Experience of five current releases, including Hillside Select, about 90 minutes. $195 for the Vertical Experience with a vineyard ride, and $295 for the Hillside Select Experience with food, about two hours.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
6154 Silverado Trail, Napa
AVA
Stags Leap District
Visiting
Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment only. No walk-ins; closed Sundays and Mondays.
Known For
Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon
Founded
1972
Good to Know
Bookings take 2 to 8 guests; larger groups contact the winery. Cancel at least 5 days ahead.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Bardessono in Yountville or Silverado Resort in Napa.
10:00 · Pickup at Bardessono or Silverado Resort
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. Bardessono, a LEED Platinum hotel in Yountville, is about 10 minutes from Shafer, and Silverado Resort, a golf and spa resort at the foot of Atlas Peak, is about 12 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Shafer Vineyards
The Collectors Experience, about 90 minutes ($140).
11:50 · Quixote Winery
About 2 minutes away, next door. Founded by Carl Doumani, who commissioned the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser to design its colorful, gold-domed building. The estate tasting is about an hour ($80); a 45-minute tasting is $50. By appointment, 21 and over.
1:05 · Lunch at Mustards Grill
About 12 minutes away. Lunch at Mustards Grill on Highway 29, a Napa Valley institution open daily. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:30 · Silverado Vineyards
About 12 minutes away. Founded in 1981 by the Disney family on a knoll above its Stags Leap vineyards. The Discovery Tasting is 45 to 60 minutes ($50). Reservations encouraged; walk-ins when there is space. 21 and over.
3:40 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Jessup Cellars
Adds about an hour. One of the first tasting rooms in Yountville, now also a fine-art gallery. Walk-ins are welcome for the bar tasting ($30), first come, first served; the last bar tasting is at 4:30 p.m. Dogs welcome.
About $240 to $270 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. This day works Tuesday to Saturday, when Shafer is open.
Every tour is custom. This day is a starting point: your chauffeur will shape it around what matters to you, and we plan multi-day tours for guests who want to see more of wine country.
Your Vehicle & Six-Hour Tour Rates
Up to 6 guests
Elite Luxury SUV
Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade
From $750
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $125 each.
Up to 9 guests
Jet Sprinter or Executive Luxury Van
Captain's chairs and room to spread out
From $1,350
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $225 each.
Larger groups travel in more than one vehicle, and we plan the winery appointments around your group, since many wineries limit groups to 6 to 8 guests. Tasting fees are separate and paid directly to each winery. Every tour starts with six hours; add time by the hour when you book.
Questions
Do I need a reservation at Shafer Vineyards?
Yes. Visits are by appointment only, with no walk-ins. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Shafer?
$140 per person for the Collectors Experience, $195 for the Vertical Experience and $295 for the Hillside Select Experience, as of September 2026.
When is Shafer open?
Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed Sundays and Mondays.
What is Shafer Hillside Select?
Shafer's flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, from its steep hillside vineyards in the Stags Leap District.
Who owns Shafer Vineyards?
Shinsegae Property of South Korea, since 2022. Doug Shafer, son of founder John Shafer, stayed on as president.
How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?
Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added.
Reserve Your Tour Now, Plan the Details Later
Your plans don't need to be final to book. Reserve your six-hour tour online, and your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Prefer to talk? Call our concierge at 888-291-2328.
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